Requirements & Courses

Capstone: COM-350, 450, and an internship (385) or applied learning experience approved by the department.

Notes: In addition to the requirements listed above, an ethics course in the Philosophy Department is strongly encouraged. No more than 4 credits of COM-385 may be counted toward the COM major.

Departmental Honors

Completion of all COM major requirements, 3.5 GPA in the major, and completion of a senior thesis of honors caliber (COM-500).

Minor Requirements

Twenty-four credits which must include:

COM-101, 111, 450

Eight additional credits at the upper level

Four credits from COM, with the exception of practicum or independent study courses, count towards the Distributive Requirements in the Humanities.

Courses

COM

101

.

Human Communication

4 credits

Beginning study of the nature, problems and theories of human communication. Examines issues of meaning, relationship and community within interpersonal, group and media contexts. Surveys rhetorical, pragmatic and interpretive perspectives on the communication process.

COM

102

.

Group and Team Communication

4 credits

This class helps students understand, apply, and embody principles of effective group and team communication. In a semester-long team project, students apply the principles of effective team communication to both teams observed in organizations and to their own teams through ethnographic research methods.

COM

111

.

Fundamentals of Speech Communication

4 credits

Elements of oral communication in public contexts. Emphasis on diagnosing rhetorical situations, inventing and delivering informative and persuasive presentations, and facilitating public discussion.

COM

123

.

Performing Advocacy

4 credits

Explores the relationships among identity, power and culture. Students learn how to become advocates through the use of Everyday Life Performance and other performance techniques, engaging in perspective taking and service learning with marginalized groups.

Examination of messages, roles, rules and strategies through which interpersonal relationships are initiated, maintained and changed. Emphasis on analysis of interaction and communication processes in a variety of interpersonal contexts.

COM

202

.

Group Communication and Teamwork

2 credits

Uses academic literature, case discussions, illustrative exercises, and group projects to foster the development of skills needed to participate in and lead groups and teams. The course focuses on how to recognize and diagnose group communication difficulties, and to develop strategies for improving teamwork and group performance.

COM

211

.

Political Communication

4 credits

Explores the influence of political messages and discourse in civic life. Topics include the relationship of free speech and a free press to democracy, historical and contemporary foundations for understanding the social influence of political messages the political uses and effects of traditional and new media, and contemporary challenges to free speech, deliberative public discourse, and participatory democracy.

COM

212

.

Sports Communication

4 credits

Explores the function of sports communication and its impact on players, organizations, fans and professionals. Issues examined include decision making, crisis communication, gender dynamics, community relations and social media presence.

COM

220

.

Intercultural Communication

4 credits

Study of interdependent relationship between communication and culture. Examines conceptual and experiential problems of communication across cultural boundaries. Focuses on perceiving, interpreting, and evaluating different cultural values, world views and patterns of communication. Course fee.

COM

221

.

Intimacy and Technology

4 credits

Explore the way communication technologies impact and influence our relational lives. Focus on both old and new media, examining the way specific communication channels shape our romantic, platonic, familial and professional relationships. Through readings, discussion, film and scrutiny of their own technology usage, students will investigate the relationship between intimacy and technology.

COM

223

.

Humor, Culture and Communication

4 credits

Explores humor as an important means of communicating cultural messages by considering issues such as power, identity and marginality. Focusing on a variety of media - from stand-up comedy performance to literary parody, this course examines humor as social critique and potentially subversive rhetoric. Through analysis and performance of stand-up comedy, students gain an understanding of the relationship between humor and power, and the importance of this relationship in rhetorical and cultural contexts. Course fee.

COM

227

.

Argument and Public Advocacy

4 credits

Investigates the nature and practice of argument in a democratic society. Focuses on speeches, debates, conversations, and other contexts of public argument. Emphasis on the analysis of evidence, reasoning, assumptions, and values in current policy debates.

Examines issues and controversies in conservation, ecology and environmentalism from a communication perspective. Emphasizes critical analysis of the role of mass media and public discourse in the definition, deliberation and resolution of environmental issues.

COM

281

.

Topics in Relational Communication

4 credits

Exploration of specific topics in relational communication, which may include nonverbal communication, conflict communication, intimacy and technology, family communication, communicating loss and other areas.

COM

282

.

Topics in Strategic Communication

4 credits

In-depth exploration of specific topics in strategic communication, which may include political campaign communication, corporate image management, public policy and advocacy, presidential rhetoric, the rhetoric of social movements, organizational change, non-profit leadership, strategic health campaigns, environmental advocacy, and other areas. May be taken more than once for credit as topics vary.

COM

302

.

Strategic Organizational Communication

4 credits

Prerequisite: COM-202 or 4 credits in COM or Permission

Study of strategic communication goals, messages, networks, and systems in organizations. Examines internal organizational processes of socialization, coordination, leadership, and change as well as external communication processes of issue management, corporate citizenship, and public relations.

COM

320

.

Gender and Communication

4 credits

Prerequisite: Four credits COM and Sophomore Standing, or Permission

Explores the rhetorical construction of gendered identities, focusing on cultural messages about femininity and masculinity in social, political, institutional and relational contexts. Through readings, discussions, films and presentations, the course examines the way gendered identities are created, contested and performed, emphasizing the relevance of this process to our daily lives.

COM

327

.

Propaganda and Persuasion

4 credits

Examines the mediated and rhetorical processes of social influence and the elements of propaganda. Emphasis on analysis of institutional persuasive strategies in film, television, print and oral media.

Examination of systematic methodological approaches to the formal analysis of communication processes, messages and problems. Focus on evaluation of research literature and creation of a research proposal. Requires Junior standing.

COM

353

.

Risk and Crisis Communication

4 credits

Prerequisite: COM-243 or 253 or Permission

This course examines the communication practices and resources through which individuals, groups, agencies, media organizations, and communities recognize and respond to natural and socially created risks and crises. Topics include the nature and types of risks and crises, the functional requirements for effective risk and crisis communication, the organizational and procedural elements of risk and crisis communication systems, and the communication skills needed to design and disseminate the verbal, visual, and multi-media messages to reduce risks and manage crises.

COM

381

.

Adv Seminar in Relational Com

4 credits

Through substantive reading, discussion and presentation, students focus on a particular area of relational communication (topics vary) in order to gain in-depth understanding and become familiar with recent scholarship in that area. Using a seminar format, each student plays a significant role in sharing scholarly findings.

Topics vary. Students engage in advanced reading, lead substantive discussions, and develop research-based presentations to demonstrate in-depth understanding of specific and timely topics and issues in strategic public discourse and advocacy.

COM

385

.

Communication Internship

2-4 credits

Prerequisite: Twelve credits in COM and Junior Standing or Permission

Application of communication concepts and skills through participation in communities, institutions, agencies, schools and businesses. Supervision by faculty and sponsoring organizations. Includes interpretive journal and substantive analytic paper.

COM

450

.

Communication Theory

4 credits

Prerequisite: COM Major or Minor; Senior Standing and COM-385 or Permission

Synthesis, integration and elaboration of theoretical perspectives on communication issues, problems and practices developed through previous coursework, projects and internships. Coursework includes completion of individual senior project and compilation of portfolio.

COM

500

.

Senior Thesis

2-4 credits

Development and completion of original research. May be interpretive, critical, empirical, or theoretical. Required for departmental honors. Requires senior standing and permission.